Patent GB-1329845-A (GB)
Title: Patterning systems for multi-feed circular knitting machines
IPC: D04B15/78
Filed: 1971-06-30
Abstract: 1329845 Knitting machines CAMBER INTERNATIONAL (ENGLAND) Ltd 30 June 1971 [16 July 1970 4 May 1971] 34465/70 and 13048/71 Heading D1C A group of selector cam members 22A, 22B in advance of each feed of a circular knitting machine are each controlled by air under pressure controlled by an apertured element PT moved in synchronism with the machine to operate on the single pattern butts 15a provided at levels corresponding to the cam members on jacks 15 carried in the tricks 16a of a cylinder 16 coaxial with the knitting head. In the multi-feed (e.g. 78) circular knitting machine shown the needles are selected by the jacks 15 and cylinder 16 is of larger diameter than the needle cylinder 10 and is driven with it. As well as a pattern butt 15a each pattern jack has an abutment 15c, and a butt 15b by which cams such as 19 restore the jacks to their original position for reselection. The movement of the jacks is amplified, by levers 20 mounted with their ends 20a seated in a ring 21 combined with the upper end of cylinder 16 and their forked ends 20b engaging butts 11b on the lower ends of the needles. The jack selector slides are in banks of superimposed pairs 22A, 22B, slides 22A each have a cam face 23 which will lift a relevant jack 15 and its needle to tucking height while each slide 22B has a cam face 24 which with cam face 23 on slide 24A raises the needles to clearing height. Thus either slide 22A alone or slides 22A and 22B together are moved in. Each slide 22A or 22B is received in a cavity of a fluidic element 25 of which a stack are clamped together at each selecting station. Each element 25 has a sensing orifice 32 aligned with holes 33 punched in tape PT carried round a vertical guide 34 common to all the slides of one stack guide 34 has a vertical exhaust duct 35 and slots 36 corresponding to each slide. Compressed is supplied to tubes 40 extending through all elements 25 of each sack and having holes 41 with holes 32. An annular channel 42 formed in each element 25 communicates with the rear of the corresponding selector cam slide. The presence of a hole 33 in tape PT causes the relevant slide to retract and no hole causes it to advance. A continuous row of holes 33 reads as a continuous hole. One hole 33 in an unapertured blank portion causes tuck selection while two holes causes the associated needle to clear. Two holes cause both slides to be retracted so that the needle misses. Each tape PT is a loop with holes 48 in its margin driven by engaging sprocket teeth 47a on a driven roller 47. The tapes are mounted in sets of six with their guide rollers in cassettes. Instead of a punched tape, a programme sleeve (62), Figs. 8 and 10 (not shown) may be used. The size of the sleeve is kept to a minimum by having basic information on the drum and using switching means for switching between sections of the pattern or as shown in Fig. 10 sleeve 72 and sleeve 62 both have perforations and further variations are obtained by relatively indexing the two sleeves. Another arrangement with two sleeves works in conjunction with cam levers (64) instead of cam slides, Fig. 8 (not shown).